1. Field of the Invention
The present technology relates to the field of antimicrobial protection, particularly antimicrobial activity in close proximity to environments that need to be protected from or cleansed of microbial or chemical material. These include closed and open environments and absorbent sheet materials that exhibit stability until activated by aqueous environments.
2. Background of the Art
It has become recognized as important to provide antimicrobial activity to surfaces that remain in contact with the bodies of patients.
Antimicrobial articles treated with virucides and germicides are known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,828,912 and 4,897,304, both issued to Hossain et al., pertain to the use of a carboxylic acid/surfactant virucidal composition in absorbent products. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,764,418 and 4,824,689, both issued to Kuenn et al., pertain to the addition of water-soluble humectants to carboxylic acid/surfactant virucides for use in tissue products to reduce irritation potential. U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,847 issued to Rothe et al., pertains to adding a carboxylic acid/surfactant virucide to the center ply of a three ply tissue to prevent transfer of the virucidal composition to the user, and thereby reduce irritation potential.
Irritation caused by virucidal or germicidal treatments to absorbent articles is a persistent problem. There have been attempts to ameliorate this problem by mixing the virucidal or germicidal treatment with lotions or emollients. U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,966 issued to Ostendorf, pertains to a “medicated” lotion absorbent article. The “medication” may be a virucide or disinfectant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,487 issued to Klofta et al. pertains to a tissue with a virucidal lotion. The lotion comprises a carboxylic acid/nonionic surfactant virucidal composition. In both the Ostendorf and Klofta, et al. patents, the intent is for the lotion to reside predominantly on the surface of the absorbent article and transfer to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,132,379 describes a non-irritating multi-ply absorbent article made by treating an inner surface with one or more antimicrobial agents and treating the one or more outer surfaces with one or more siloxane compositions, and methods of making and using the same. The antimicrobial agent will remain confined to the inner portion of the absorbent article, thereby preventing irritation to the user, and the siloxane treated ply(s) will provide a pleasing, soothing, non-irritating tactile quality. In one embodiment, the siloxane composition comprises an amine-modified polysiloxane, in which case the product will also entrap any absorbed fluid, holding it in contact with the antimicrobial agent, and preventing it from wetting through the product and contacting the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,372 describes a field dressing for control of exsanguination. Such dressing describes the use of microfibrillar collagen and a superabsorbent polymer in a hemostatic bandage, which both absorbs blood and induces clotting.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,509 (Klein) discloses an iodine fluid purification process using a source of fluid; means for delivery of iodine to the source of fluid for use in the purification process. The process provides a means for recovery of the iodine and/or iodine and/or other iodine species derived from the iodine, from the fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,836 discloses a new and improved water purification process or method by introduction of molecular iodine into the water supply to impart a desired iodine residual wherein the water is passed through an iodinated anion exchange bed wherein the concentration of I.sub.2 in the flowing water gradually decreases and the ion bed is recharged by treatment with an aqueous iodine solution produced by flowing water through a bed of iodine crystals having connections in parallel with the ion exchange bed and activated periodically e.g. by a timer, by measured flow of water or by residual level to recharge the bed. That system provides for long term microbiological control in water suitable for potable activities. The bed of Iodine crystals is provided with connections for flowing water there through to produce a concentrated (substantially saturated) aqueous iodine solution which is passed through the iodinated resin bed to recharge the bed with bound iodine.
The majority of patents relates to the direct or indirect treatment of water to remove microbes. Such disclosures are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,905; the use of free elemental iodine to kill or inactivate a large range of microbes (bacteria, virus and other pathogens) particularly in protein-containing solutions such as human blood, human plasma or fractions thereof is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,019,495; 5,128,149; 5,128,150; 5,186,945; 5,360,605; 5,370,869; 5,589,072; and 5,609,864; pentavalent iodine-impregnated resins U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,063; provision of potable water U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,139,731 and 6,071,415; 5,324,438 describes a process for oxidizing a compound comprises contacting the compound with iodide ions and irradiating the iodide ions with UV light of a wavelength sufficient to generate iodine atoms. The compound is then oxidized with the resulting iodine atoms. The iodine atoms are reduced to iodide ions as a result of the oxidation of the compound.
The growth of many microbes is assisted by or enabled by the presence of water with the microbes. Water and aqueous materials are present in events and activities of most mammalian life forms. Aqueous solutions and dispersion and emulsions are present in blood, exudates, tears, perspiration, menstrual emissions and waste emissions of mammals. These are natural events in life cycles, but may be accompanied by contact with or attack by microbes that can have significant physical effects on the animals (including humans) and their surrounding. At a minimum, growth of some microbes in aqueous materials around the animals can develop odors, disease-carrying media, infections and death or damage to the bodies of the animals.
There are many instances where aqueous materials are retained in contact with animal bodies and in which there is potential for unwanted and even dangerous and significant microbial growth or microbial introduction into the animal body. For example, in the application of materials wound dressing, menstrual products, patches, diapers, pads and the like, moisture from the animal body or ambient conditions or the materials themselves can introduce microbes to the environment and those microbes can proliferate in the vicinity of the materials when moisture is present. The uncontrolled growth of random microbes is seldom beneficial and has been the subject of significant efforts at control.
Many applications exist where it is necessary or at the very least an advantage for agents to be present which demonstrate anti-bacterial, anti-mycotic activity or both, resulting in the control of bacterial and/or fungal growth. For example, an apparatus or article as a whole or in part may have the property of suppressing bacterial and fungal growth. Control of bacterial and/or fungal growth may be through the prevention or inhibition of the growth of such microbes.